


Sometimes a Fox, Sometimes a Lion

by DimensionSlip



Series: Guardian Moon Comes in like a Lion [5]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Azure Moon Route, Canon Divergence, Dimitri and Felix being total saps for each other, Dining With Friends, Gen, M/M, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-07
Updated: 2019-11-07
Packaged: 2021-01-24 23:29:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21346561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DimensionSlip/pseuds/DimensionSlip
Summary: It should be something to be happy about. Yet, Sylvain still can't shake off the feeling that things are not what they're cracked up to be.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Ingrid Brandl Galatea & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Honestly all combinations of the four but those two get the most focus, Ingrid Brandl Galatea & Sylvain Jose Gautier
Series: Guardian Moon Comes in like a Lion [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1505534
Comments: 6
Kudos: 67





	Sometimes a Fox, Sometimes a Lion

Unsurprisingly, being so turned on that it's hard to think straight makes it difficult for Dimitri to fall asleep in a timely manner. He spends hours just watching Felix in silence, only closing his eye once the candle in the room burns out on its own. Eventually, sleep claims him, but it means that he is not yet fully rested by the time Felix wakes up. He never sleeps as deeply as he manages when they're wrapped up in each other like this, and even when Felix rises ahead of him and stirs, he doesn't awaken.

What does finally wake Dimitri is the sun peeking in through the windows, shining a bright bar of light across his face, insisting that he rise to greet the morning.

Dimitri's nose wrinkles with displeasure, but he does begrudgingly lift his lids, allowing himself to wake slowly instead of immediately leaping into full awareness. The sheets beneath him stick ever so slightly to his skin, and he wiggles to dislodge them before curling over to place a kiss on Felix's forehead.

"...Good morning," Felix says, the barest of smiles on his lips.

"Good morning," Dimitri murmurs in return, grinning when he catches sight of the lovely shade of purple that bruise on Felix's neck ended up turning. There certainly won't be anyone mistaking it as a training injury, that's for damn sure. Dimitri carefully brushes his thumb over it, tempted to take a peek at his thigh as well.

But he should probably attempt to keep these activities confined to the night for now, or he might just never leave this room at all. As tempting as the thought is, this war has to be ended before he can feel safe indulging that much.

For a moment, they simply lie there, indulging in each other's presence. But only a moment, for Felix sighs and starts to rise, cringing slightly. Dimitri grumbles and groans under his breath, but permits it without a fight. Once Felix starts to get dressed he sits as well, reaching for his discarded shirt and pulling it back on.

"Ah—it's a bit wrinkled. Perhaps I should return to my own room to get some fresh clothing..."

"...Good idea. I'll... wait for you, I guess?"

"I would like that. I will not be long."

With a small smile, he stands and heads for the door, stopping to retrieve his boots. Since his room is so close, he doesn't bother putting them on or combing his hair before he slips out to get ready for the day.

He doesn't even notice Sylvain's door cracking open, nor does he see the slightly worried expression on his face when Felix doesn't emerge as well.

* * *

Thankfully, Sylvain won't have to worry for long, as Felix emerges not too long after he finishes fixing up.

Felix is a little surprised to note a door opening so soon, but when he sees it's Sylvain emerging from his, he dons a neutral expression.

"Hey."

Not that it lasts long. Unable to keep eye contact, Felix tugs at the corner of his turtleneck, slightly abashed. Did Sylvain hear everything they've been up to the night before...?

Sylvain does look a little more worried than Felix predicted, but a second or two passes, and it might as well be his imagination, what with the exaggerated sigh Sylvain lets out.

"Thank the goddess. After that scream, I thought for sure I was going to have to call in Mercedes."

And that has Felix turning an unflattering shade of red, at a momentary loss for words as he lets out a noise between a cough and a goose being strangled.

"I—we... You're exaggerating."

They definitely weren't _that_ loud!

_...Or were they?_ Honestly, some parts of it are a blur to Felix, considering he was more concerned with memorizing every bit of Dimitri then…

"I'm really not. Were you that into it?"

Sylvain slowly grins.

"...actually, scratch that. With it being that loud, you had to be."

"Most definitely not!" Felix says, coloring. Damn, Sylvain really knows how to choose his words. Not that Felix is about to fuck and tell. "Do you have anything better to do than to spy on your neighbors?"

Mentally, Felix makes a note to grab heavier drapes, especially if this will be happening with a certain degree of frequency.

"Well, yeah," Sylvain says, "I was in my room to get some sleep, but a scream like that could wake the dead."

Sylvain tucks his hands up behind his head, peeking at Felix's jaw, no doubt inspecting the mark by it.

"Want some balm for that? I've got some pretty good stuff. I have oil, too, if you need that."

Of course, Sylvain would have _those_.

"...Balm would be nice."

Better to focus on that, over Sylvain's exaggerations. And love bite or not, it's still a bruise that needs to be handled properly. This probably is the better option to asking Manuela for things…

"Just leave it to me."

Sylvain is about to step back into his room to do exactly that when Dimitri emerges from his own.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Sylvain says, sounding casual despite his use of the title.

Felix flushes at the rather adoring, puppy-eyed look Dimitri throws in his direction, a little relieved to see his smile cool into a more cordial one when he shifts his gaze to Sylvain, nodding.

"Good morning, Sylvain."

Sylvain tilts his head back toward his room with a "hold on a second". Dimitri nods, stepping close to Felix.

"Hey."

Felix breaks into a smile, albeit shy.

"Sylvain's off to get some balm, but after that, we should be good to go."

Should he ask Sylvain to go with them? Three of them going together would be less... suggestive than if Dimitri and Felix were to arrive together, but at the same time, Felix isn't sure he can withstand any more of the inevitable teasing that's to come.

* * *

A flash of irritation crosses Dimitri's expression. "Some balm?"

Who does he think he his, butting in like that?

...he thinks he's Sylvain, of course. Surely, he's just trying to be helpful since this is an area he has experience in. This probably isn't specifically about trying to erase his mark…

And right on the mark, Sylvain is back in the hallway in short order.

"Here you go. Take the oil, too. I know you two like beating each other up on the training grounds, but some things really should be more pleasure and less pain."

"Yeah, I get it," Felix says as he accepts the items from Sylvain, though without turning pink at his words, just as Dimitri does. "I won't be long."

And he isn't, and reappears a scant few moments later, hands empty of the containers and a light sheen upon his neck where his bruise lay.

"Let's get going," Felix says, glancing curiously at Sylvain.

"Sure," Sylvain says.

Again, while slightly irritating, Dimitri isn't going to protest Sylvain's presence. He absolutely wants Felix all to himself, but it's not as if he's suddenly come to hate everyone else. He does shoot him a bit of a questioning look, ultimately deciding it's not worth asking since they really are going to the dining hall and it's a common destination first thing when waking up. Sylvain isn't purposefully trying to be a third wheel... probably.

Dimitri still reaches out for Felix's hand anyway, just to make sure Sylvain knows.

* * *

Despite the way he colors at it anyway (why must he be so prone to blushing?!), Felix doesn't let go, even giving Dimitri's hand a light squeeze. Knowing Sylvain is having front row seats to all of this is embarrassing in itself, but he'll live... and get used to things, he hopes.

By the time they get to the dining hall, Felix has calmed himself somewhat despite the shameful red he's turned into. Still, it's not quite enough to get him sufficiently confident to walk in like this, so he lets go of Dimitri's hand by the entrance, uncertain once more especially once he sights his father by the corner of his eye.

Making a beeline for the food, Felix pays no mind to Sylvain breaking off from their group. The back of Felix's neck prickles, and he can feel many stares in his direction. He'd be deluding himself if he told himself that no one noticed that telltale bruise, still very much purple despite the balm he applied, and will be so for a few days unless he asks Manuela for something more potent. Not that he's inclined to, despite the way it makes him feel so exposed, it's a nice reminder of what he and Dimitri share now.

Thankfully, his father doesn't notice them—yet—and is occupied discussing things with Gilbert. A small mercy and not on its own—he's not too keen on Gilbert knowing either, but that's an inevitability of its own.

"It smells good," Dimitri says as they line up. "Ashe must be cooking today."

"It does," Felix says, "He's been doing it a lot lately, which is nice."

Since he can count on Ashe to actually cook meat well instead of being half-baked about the task, especially when it comes to tenderizing it.

Though his appreciation of Ashe does dull slightly as they draw closer to the front of the queue. Felix narrows his eyes at how Ashe couldn't stop staring at that mark, eyes wide. He jerks away for a moment when their gazes meet, though it falls upon Dimitri instead, who Felix could feel is smiling so widely. Perhaps even smugly, embarrassing as it is to think so.

"Are you all right, Ashe?" Dimitri asks.

"Oh! It's... it's good to see you smiling, Your Highness," Ashe says, staring down at the plates as he fills them, turning red.

Felix decides not to comment as Ashe hands over his share, but unfortunately his relief at nothing going too off the rails is short-lived, for Ashe blurts out a certain question that makes his stomach drop.

"A-Are you together now?"

Which is, for better or for worse, directed at Felix. Who flushes a most unfortunate shade of red, which might as well confirm it. But while he doesn't run away, he's at a momentary loss for words, unable to vocalize his resolve.

Dimitri's smile goes beatific as he nods.

"We are."

Felix thinks he could not be clutching his tray any harder than he is that moment, but he nods stiffly in response and starts to walk away. He finds an empty corner in the dining hall to sit, wondering if it's possible for a human being to simply shrink up and die.

Because that's how it feels like under everyone's stares and the way the hall hushes at Dimitri's declaration, as if they weren't occupied with their own business just a few moments back. Including his father, whose gaze he dares not meet.

Felix spends a good few moments staring at his share of stew while waiting for Dimitri to settle next to him. Once he does, he finally dares to speak, shaking his head slightly in dismay.

"Doesn't this army have anything better to do with their lives?"

Gossiping about their king-to-be and who he consorts with, don't they have any shame?!

Dimitri blows on a spoon of his stew. "It isn't all that bad, is it? Having something happy to discuss when we're at war…"

Felix exhales, digging a spoon into his stew as he contemplates Dimitri's words. "...I suppose."

Indeed, there's not much to be happy about with regard to the state of things, and if this can be counted as such...

He just wishes people wouldn't be so smug about it.

"They could act like it's a good thing instead of something so... _surprising_."

"I was not in a good place. In many ways, it is surprising."

Felix sighs. "I know, but—"

"Not to mention Felix has been huffing and puffing at you for _years_," Sylvain says, sliding in next to Dimitri like the uninvited menace he could be at times. "Some people can't see through that sort of thing."

In response to that, Felix angrily shoves a spoonful of stew into his mouth, only to regret it a moment later as he hasn't blown on it sufficiently.

Once his coughing fit settles and his tongue feels less like it's about to burn off, Felix throws Sylvain a dirty look.

"That's all in the past. Is moving on such a difficult concept for people to grasp or do?"

"It is. For many of us, it can seem nigh impossible," Dimitri says, taking a bite. Underneath the table, he rests one hand on Felix's thigh, tucked out of sight. He looks to Sylvain, eerily calm.

"If you are here to poke fun at us, could you perhaps wait until we are finished eating? We'll be heading to the training grounds afterward. You are welcome to join."

While the hand upon his thigh is comforting in itself, there's something unsettling about the way Dimitri says those words, though it's nothing Felix could put his finger on at the moment.

Sylvain shakes his head, turning to his own meal.

"I'd rather not be beaten bloody with a wooden sword, thanks."

Setting aside the thought for later, he takes a careful spoonful this time around before frowning at Sylvain again.

"I think I'll have to agree with Dimitri on this one."

If anything, Felix was better at talking with his sword anyway.

"...Is it too much to ask you to play nice for a few minutes?"

This time, it's Ingrid that drops by, parking her half-finished bowl of stew on the table on the table Dimitri, Felix, and Sylvain are using.

"We're all hardly children now," she says as she seats herself across them, her exasperation evident in her tone.

"I am playing nice! I haven't said a word I wouldn't say in front of a, uhh—Flayn!"

"I simply suggested that he should save his teasing until _after_ we've eaten," Dimitri says lightly, taking another bite. His thumb lightly strokes Felix's knee through his pants. After one more spoonful, Felix lets his hand settle under the table over Dimitri's, tentatively at first. Sensing some of his anxiety, Felix threads his fingers into Dimitri's, a small gesture to help steady him. Dimitri entwines his fingers with Felix's, lightly squeezing back.

Meanwhile, Ingrid narrows her eyes at Sylvain.

"Whatever it is, it's got His Highness and Felix worked up."

"We can all guess what Sylvain was about to do anyway," Felix says. While Felix's words may be biting, his tone isn't, quite casual in fact. Now that attention has shifted to Sylvain, he feels less cowed and more willing to dogpile, not at all sorry for it even if he knows Sylvain means well when he butts in like this.

...Most of the time, that is.

* * *

They aren't wrong, Sylvain was definitely going to tease them. But the point remains that he hadn't done anything yet, and he won't let that go so easily. With a hum, Sylvain tucks his hands behind his head.

"Yeah? What was I going to do, then?"

"Do I really need to spell this out?" Ingrid says, briefly throwing Felix a disapproving glance—likely for leaving the response up to her. But her gaze visibly softens when she sights the satisfied expression on Felix and Dimitri's faces.

Then hardens again once her eyes fall on Sylvain, glaring at him as if her having a soft moment then was his fault.

"You'd always tease them for spending so much time with each other when we were children, and I can see this as no exception. Were you poking fun at them on the way here?"

No, he wanted Felix stumbling to answer, not Ingrid scolding him!

"Not at all!" Sylvain says, waving a hand defensively. "Well—a little, but not about spending time together!"

Just about enjoying that time together a little too loudly! Goddess, he sure is an idiot for feeling insulted by the assumption when he's the one who cultivates those assumptions in the first place, isn't he?

"Hmm?" Ingrid glares at him, unamused. "And somehow you think that's a better idea."

Ingrid pauses for a moment. Perhaps she's seeing the same thing Sylvain is feeling at the moment. Dimitri's eyes on him, viewing him with clouded suspicion. Felix soothes Dimitri before he gets a chance to really confirm it, but it leaves him unsettled nonetheless.

"Please stop being so careless, Sylvain," Ingrid says, "Can't you just say you're happy for them and be done with it?"

Sylvain pushes the feeling down, voicing an exaggerated whine in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

"Okay, okay! Fine, I was going to poke a little fun at them. Are you happy now?"

"I believe she would be happy if you did not plan on doing such things in the first place," Dimitri says as Felix flushes pink.

Ingrid exhales at the revelation, with no shortage of relief in that breath she lets out.

"You should respect His Highness a little more. He's your prince, after all!"

Dimitri sighs, shaking his head. "There is no need to go that far. You know that I would prefer for both of you to be relaxed in my presence, don't you? Well, I know that you are always polite and respectful with everyone, Ingrid, so it does not bother me... but it would be too strange to have Sylvain doing it."

Oh, that's a surprise! But a pleasant one. Sylvain laughs, lightly patting Dimitri's shoulder.

"Well, you heard His Highness! Far be it from me to go against your wishes. In which case, it is my duty to tell you…"

He lowers his voice so that just the four of them will be able to hear it clearly.

"You might want to hang some drapes on the walls."

Ingrid's jaw drops. "Sylvain...!"

While Dimitri looks rather clueless about the implications of that statement, Felix, on the other hand, has made the fatal mistake of ingesting food as Sylvain brings that up, leading to a most disgraceful coughing fit that has other tables looking their way.

As he pounds at his airway in an attempt to clear it, he throws Sylvain the dirtiest look he could manage. Dimitri panics, lifting his fist to pound his back—

Sylvain grabs his arm, laughing. Anything to prevent Dimitri from accidentally killing Felix with his beastly strength.

"He's fine, he's coughing. It'll come up. Anyway! Just a little tip from me if you want to keep your private life private."

A flash of appreciation mixes itself into Felix's glare, which settles into a mask of unamusement once he settles down.

"You don't have to tell me."

Still, it doesn't stop Ingrid from pounding her fists on the table and rising to her full height.

"Don't be inappropriate, Sylvain."

But there's a touch of lightness to her tone, less meant than her previous statements.

"...I'm done," Felix says after a moment of staring at his bowl.

Dimitri takes a couple more bites, washing them down with a glass of milk.

"Shall we head to the training grounds, then?"

"Yes."

Sylvain watches as Felix rises and makes to leave without a further word with his tray, but a glance towards his and Ingrid's unfinished food draws a pause from him.

Then he sighs, lifting his eyes towards Sylvain and Ingrid.

"We'll be there if you want to join us later."

_Thank the goddess._ The way Dimitri stiffens ever so slightly at the invite just tells him all the more that it's necessary.

"Sure thing—you're still in rehabilitation, right? Just checking."

Sylvain knows that he is, of course, but eagerly accepting an invitation to go train without tossing in a joke would just feel _wrong_.

"Yeah, don't remind me," Felix says, cringing. "See you, then."

Sylvain waves to them both with a smile, but once they're out of the dining hall, it fades into a genuine expression of worry. Dimitri didn't say a blessed thing. That plus his reaction to Felix inviting other people, not to mention whatever that chill he felt from him earlier was... well, he's got his reservations about this still. Is it really a good idea to let Dimitri swing from one obsession to another, even if he's happy?

Is there even anything they can do to stop him?

Ingrid turns to Sylvain, expression troubled as she sinks back into her seat.

"...You noticed it, Sylvain?"

"Yeah. For a while, now."

Sylvain aimlessly pushes the food around on his plate, letting out a sigh.

"Do you remember how Dimitri was with that girl?"

Ingrid mirrors that sigh, listlessly gazing at her bowl. "I do. Do you really think... he'd pull that with Felix, of all people?"

"Isn't he already? Sure, Felix got hurt and he was worried, but he's been with him constantly, and it seems like he's trying to keep him to himself. It was just a little bit, but he kind of tensed up when Felix invited us."

Now his appetite is gone. Sylvain just drops the fork altogether, running a hand through his hair.

"I already talked to Felix about it. Reminded him to try and not let Dimitri hole away with him. I think he listened—I hope he did, anyway."

"It's Felix though, not that girl. Let's believe in him for now."

Ingrid sighs once more, knitting her brows.

"He did invite us, did he not? Clearly, he remembers what you said."

Sylvain hates seeing her like this, worried over something that should just be a happy thing. He hates that there's so little they can do if their suspicions are correct. He hates that Dimitri has been broken down to the point that they even have these suspicions in the first place.

So he smiles.

"He sure did! How much do you think he'll yell at us if we go easy on him?"

"Quite a lot," Ingrid says, chuckling. "Let's try not to make it obvious when we go, then."

"I think I can manage."

One big advantage of never trying his best is that no one knows what his best is. He can go easy and Felix will just think he's being lazy, not looking out for him. _All right._ He can get this breakfast down—if he doesn't, Ingrid will know just how much this is getting to him. He picks his utensils back up and tucks in.

"Ashe is going to make some lucky lady very happy, someday."

And very fat, probably.

"He will."

Likewise, Ingrid digs in.

"And Sylvain?"

Ingrid hesitates for a moment.

"...Be careful, okay?"

_Of Dimitri?_ That Ingrid was picking up on that hostility too is very worrisome, but he's done talking about it now. Sylvain laughs.

"I'll do my best not to get punched in the jaw! Oh, but that'll require your cooperation too, Ingrid."

* * *

"Sylvain!"

Ingrid frowns, not at all amused at how lightly he's taking the situation. Earlier, she's seen the way Dimitri sometimes looks at Sylvain, as if he were a threat to his relationship with Felix. It worries her, especially when Dimitri looks like he is much more willing to punch the daylights out of Sylvain compared to her. Coupled with Sylvain's lack of regard for himself, it terrifies her more than she'd like to admit.

She decides to let it go for now though, and simply resolves to keep an eye on him—nay, _everyone_.

"I won't be here to clean up after your messes forever."

She pauses, then she releases a breath she had been holding.

"But I suppose... I'll do my part when I'm here."

It is, in a way, not too different from her cleaning after Sylvain's skirt chasing-related messes. Though she really wishes he would quit that, too.

Sylvain ducks his head and smiles, unusually shy.

"I guess I'd better try to not make it too hard on you, then."

He takes a breath as if he wants to say something. Ingrid waits for it, but when Sylvain says nothing more, she gives him a funny glance.

"...Is there something on my face?"

She definitely thinks it isn't that, but sometimes, Sylvain needed a little prodding.

"Ah, no, just—thanks. For helping me look after them."

_And for looking out for me_, Sylvain leaves unsaid. But he doesn't have to—that much is implicit and has Ingrid breaking into a smile, despite herself.

"There's no need to thank me. It's nothing new."

And even with her gripes about it, she won't hesitate to do it for however long as needed.

After all, who would? Barring Felix, she and Sylvain are the only ones with a chance at all to get through Dimitri. And Felix... for all his posturing, he can be every bit the crybaby he once was as a child, soft beneath that bluster he hides behind.

Then there's Sylvain, who distances himself worse than anyone she knows despite all the people he surrounds himself with. Forcing it so no one can appreciate him for who he truly is beneath the easygoing facade he likes to put up.

Shaking off those musings, she finishes off the rest of her bowl and sighs.

"I'll help Ashe with the dishes for a bit, then join His Highness and Felix in the training hall. How about you?"

* * *

Sylvain's gaze drifts over toward Rodrigue, pensive. Felix and his father haven't gotten along for a while, now... telling him to keep an eye on things wouldn't do much good, would it? He could potentially watch over Dimitri, but Dimitri's already proved how willing he is to lash out at him.

No, he won't bother. Not yet, anyway.

"I'll go put on some armor and head on over that way myself. See you there."

With a wave, he heads off to his room to suit up. Even if Felix is injured, training with either one of those two is always painful. It's best to be prepared.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone, thanks for tuning in again! Sorry about the delayed update, and with that comes a bit of unfortunate news...
> 
> This series will be on an indefinite hiatus as I concentrate on other projects for the time being, among other things. Been a little busy with offline stuff too, and I don't think things will be chilling for a while. But on the questionably bright side of things, one of them is Dimilix fic-related and is rather big, so I might be back here with something in a couple of months! Or earlier, depending on how inspiration for it flows.
> 
> Until then, I'm at my usual social media hangouts, as always: DimensionSlip @ [Twitter](https://twitter.com/DimensionSlip) and [Tumblr](http://dimensionslip.tumblr.com/) (SFW, multi-fandom), [slip_fe3h](https://twitter.com/slip_fe3h) @ Twitter (FE3H-only, can get NSFW). 
> 
> 'Til the next update, see you around, maybe?


End file.
